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What Causes Fatigue When Suffering From Iron Deficiency?

Posted on Thu, 22 May 2014

Question: I was diagnosed with severe iron deficient, my RBC was ok, but the hemoglobin was 82 and the ferritin was 5. I needed to do stool test before treatment. At that time I was still working, by the time I finished stool testing, I clapsed, and started to take iron pill on mar 1 and rested at home since. The blood testing on apr 15 shows my hemoglobin is 116, and RBC 5. However still feel extremely tired. I take short walk, when I walk, I don't feel tired, but after that sometimes still feel very tired. I also feel fatigue after I have guests or talk on the phone. I did another blood testing, which tested all possible reasons, so far still no luck. What might be the reason that I am still so tired?

Answered by Dr. Robert Galamaga (31 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Considerations.

Detailed Answer:
hello and thank you for sending your question.

this is an excellent question and I can appreciate your dealing with a very stressful situation. I am glad that you have achieved a significant improvement in your hemoglobin with iron supplementation.

it may take some time for your body to achieve a new normal balance and for you to regain your normal energy expectations.

I am sure that your doctors are looking for other potential causes of fatigue including thyroid dysfunction or possibly sleep apnea.

we still need to figure out why your iron level became so low. This can sometimes happen from chronic low-level gastrointestinal bleeding. This bleeding can occur from the stomach or intestines.

also it is extremely important that you push yourself to do exercise every day as much as you can. Exercise increases your endurance. Also there is a tremendous mental benefit from exercise.

In addition it is extremely important that you eat a very well-balanced diet and consume enough fruits and vegetables to obtain your daily recommended allowance of multivitamins and minerals.

again I can appreciate that you are really dealing with some frustration. I encourage you to maintain an optimistic outlook as you look forward to the rest of your life. Please let me know if there are any additional specific concerns that you would like to review.

Sincerely,

Dr. Galamaga

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Robert Galamaga (51 minutes later)

I did the stool test which indicates i had no blood in stool. And thyriod is within the range, how ever on internet, the new range is 0.3 to 3. Then i am a bit high. I was a active person, exercise regularly. I did the multi-day hiking in pantagonia at the beginning of the year. It may have exceeded my physical limit, given that i had very low iron then. I like to push myself. But now when i take a short walk, i am fine. The other day i took a 30 min walk(with an uphill), i was ok during the work, i felt weak, but comfortable, but after got home, i exhausted. And i find talking to people, having guests, and driving out also very energy comsuming right now. I can do one of these activities every a few days, but definitely now two days in a row. That frustrates me, because when i do it, i felt ok, but afterwards i suffer the fatigue, light headed, tight muscle and feel like shaking, and can't sleep during night, sweat a lot, heavy breath. So i can not push myself. I did not feel fatigue until my iron was extremely low, so i think my iron was gradually lost over a very long time. I have been watching out my diet since i am sick. My vitamin D is 35, in the insufficient range(25-75). Based on the new information, do you have any other comments or suggestions? I attached my latest blood test report images.

Answered by Dr. Robert Galamaga (4 days later)

Brief Answer:
Followup

Detailed Answer:
thank you for the additional information.

Your iron level is improved but is still low. I think it is important that you continue to take iron on a daily basis. I usually recommend that my patients take iron with vitamin C. The vitamin C will help your body absorb the iron.

I also would encourage you to remain optimistic about your energy level and stamina. I think this will slowly improve over time and you cannot expect it to all be back to normal immediately.

thank you again for sharing your health care concern. Please let us know if we can be of any additional assistance in the future.

Dr. Galamaga

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar